Portable vacuum apparatus

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Solution Overview

Problem

Portable suction devices face inefficiencies due to pressure losses from sharp air deflections and baffle plates, leading to reduced runtime, increased size, and complex emptying processes, along with design restrictions and higher production costs for protecting electronic components.

Innovation Solution

A compact suction device design with a multi-part housing, integrated suction material container, and a suction material guide formed from shell components, which prevents backflow and allows for easy assembly and emptying, while protecting electronic components through a watertight cavity without encapsulation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If baffle plates and air deflectors are used to separate suction material from suction flow, then separation effectiveness is improved, but pressure losses increase and device efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveseparation effectivenessVSAvoidpressure losses
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes traditional baffle plates and air deflectors from the separation process. Instead, it extracts only the essential function of separation by using the natural flow dynamics and the geometry of the suction material guide itself to achieve separation without additional deflecting components, thereby eliminating the associated pressure losses.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The suction material guide serves as an intermediary element that performs both the guidance of suction material and the separation function. By using the guide's geometry and positioning as the mediating mechanism rather than separate baffle plates, the system achieves separation with minimal interference to the airflow.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If baffle plates and air deflectors are used for separation, then separation effectiveness is improved, but device size increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveseparation effectivenessVSAvoiddevice size
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent eliminates separate baffle plates and air deflectors, extracting only the essential separation function which is achieved through the integrated design of the suction material guide and housing geometry, thereby reducing the overall device volume.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The separation function is merged with the suction material guide and housing structure. The guide's geometry and positioning within the housing provide separation without requiring additional space for separate baffle plates or deflectors, achieving compact integration of multiple functions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Reliability

If suction material guide has complex geometry to prevent backflow, then backflow prevention is improved, but manufacturing complexity and installation space increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebackflow preventionVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The suction material guide is divided into multiple segments or parts that can be manufactured separately and assembled together. This segmentation allows each part to have a simpler geometry that is easier to manufacture, while the combined assembly achieves the complex backflow prevention function through the relative positioning of the segments.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The suction material guide components are designed to nest within each other or within the housing, with simpler geometric forms that fit together to create the overall complex backflow prevention geometry. This nesting approach reduces manufacturing complexity while maintaining the required functional geometry.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

4Reliability

If electronic components are protected by separate watertight unit, then protection reliability is improved, but device complexity and production costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprotection reliabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The protection function for electronic components is merged with the existing housing structure. Instead of using a separate watertight unit, the housing itself is designed with integrated watertight features and sealing elements that protect the electronics, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining protection reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The housing structure serves multiple functions: it provides structural support, contains the suction and separation processes, and simultaneously protects electronic components through integrated sealing and watertight design. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate protection units and reduces overall device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution results in a more efficient, compact, and cost-effective suction device with improved heat dissipation and user-friendly operation, reducing production complexity and maintaining effective protection of electronic components.

Implementation Method 1

a suction unit (10) for generating a suction flow which provides a suction vacuum applied to the suction nozzle

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSuction vacuum: Pressure Gradient

Implementation Method 2

a separating device (12) which is able to divide the suction flow sucked in via the suction nozzle into an exhaust air flow flowing out of the suction device

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCentrifugal separation: Centrifugal Separation

Data Source

PatentEP3763267B1Portable vacuum apparatus
Publication Date: 2021.09.01 LEIFHEIT
  • EP3763267B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3763267B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3763267B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The invention relates to a portable suction device with a suction channel opening into a suction nozzle and with a housing, a handle, a suction container with an opening, a closure for sealing the opening, and a suction unit for generating a suction flow that provides a suction vacuum at the suction nozzle, with a separation device that is able to divide the suction flow drawn in via the suction nozzle into an exhaust air flow flowing out of the suction device and into suction material in the form of particles and/or fluid components, wherein the separated particles or fluid components are collected in the suction container and can be emptied by opening the closure of the suction container.In order to provide a portable suction device which enables a compact design with good heat dissipation, cost-effective manufacturing and easy assembly, the housing is designed in multiple parts according to the invention, wherein a suction and separation area in which the separation device is arranged is received and/or formed by a first housing part, a second housing part is connected to a third housing part and the suction container is arranged between the first and second housing parts and/or formed by the housing parts, and connecting areas of the first, second and third housing parts are covered by a cover housing part.